Google is moving on from smoke detectors and smart locks

After a long run, Google is sunsetting two of its signature Nest products and consequently withdrawing as a manufacturer in two key smart home categories. 

Google has just announced that it’s discontinuing the 10-year-old Nest Protect and the 7-year-old Nest x Yale lock. Both of those products will continue to work, and—for now—they remain on sale at the Google Store, complete with discounts until supplies run out. 

But while Google itself is exiting the smoke alarm and smart lock business, it isn’t leaving Google Home users in the lurch. Instead, it’s teeing up third-party replacements for the Nest Protect and Nest X Yale lock, with both new products coming from familiar brands. 

First up is the SC5 Smart Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm from Residio-owned First Alert, which matches most of the same functions as the aging Nest Protect.  

Like the Google smoke detector, the First Alert SC5 can send mobile alerts in case of a fire of CO event, along with voice alerts, “heads-up” early warnings in case the unit detects an “emerging” smoke situation, and the ability to trigger other nearby and compatible smoke alarms in case of an emergency. 

The Wi-Fi-enabled First Alert SC5 is compatible with the Google Home app as well as existing Nest Protect alarms, meaning you can easily add the First Alert detectors to your home even if you already have Nest Protect units set up. 

Available in both battery-powered and hardwired versions, the First Alert SC5 will hit retail in the “coming months” for $129.99, Resideo said. 

Next comes the Yale Smart Lock with Matter, which is designed to blend in nicely with Google’s Nest Doorbell. 

The Yale Smart Lock with Matter connects via Thread and offers up to 12 months of battery life. With its integrated Thread radio, the new Yale lock can seamlessly connect with other Matter devices and Thread border routers, and it can also integrate with Google Home, Alexa, and Apple Home thanks to the Matter protocol. 

Capable of being unlocked via app, entry code, or a traditional key, the Yale Smart Lock with Matter is set to arrive this summer, according to Yale. 

While both the existing Nest Protect and Nest x Yale lock will continue to operate and receive security patches, those who purchased the second-generation Nest Protect near its 2015 launch date should probably replace the product anyway. That’s because the CO sensors in carbon monoxide detectors like the Nest Protect have a roughly 10-year life expectancy. 

Nest Protect and the Nest X Yale lock were two of the oldest products in Google’s smart home lineup, and both were showing their age. 

The second-gen Nest Protect, for example, was only recently integrated into the Google Home app, marking one of the last Nest products to make the transition from the legacy Nest app. 

Three years ago, owners of the Nest x Yale lock found themselves in a jam after the Nest Hub Max dropped its ability to connect the lock to Wi-Fi. Google ended up handing out free Nest Connect hubs to Nest x Yale users to bridge the gap.